The Last Will - Chapter Seven: The Blind Eye. Thanks to Crystal Wolfblade for reviewing.
His breath came out in frosty bursts and the frigid air gnawed at his exposed forearms, hands, and nose. Cain took a delicate step forward and raised the bow up to his eye-level. As he pulled the drawstring back, his shoulder wound screamed in displeasure, but he ignored it. It was worth the stabbing pain for the chance to snag more dinner.
A small bundle of fur was huddled several yards away from him, ripping at what looked like another dead rat and remaining completely oblivious to Cain's presence. He took another step, aiming his arrow at the bony hide of the wild dog. Underneath the thin, mangled skin and fur, he could see the definite shape of ribs poking out from the animal's side. For a second, Cain almost felt sorry for the beast. It was as hungry as he was and just as trapped in the catacombs.
Then his stomach rumbled loudly and Cain cursed mentally as the dog lifted his head at the noise. It cocked it's head and turned to set it's sad eyes upon the man. Cain took another step and suddenly his foot slid out from underneath him. He fired his arrow, the dog darted away, and Cain connected hard with the firm ground.
"Dammit to hell!" Cain sat up and threw the bow away from him. The primitive weapon was useless in his hands. He was still grumbling under his breath when he heard footsteps behind him. He leapt to his feet and drew the revolver from his belt.
Eve froze mid-step when the gun was pointed squarely between her eyes. Cain instantly lowered it.
"What are you doing out here?" He rasped, shoving the revolver back into its holster.
"I heard you shout. What happened?" She was still wearing her ridiculously large, makeshift poncho and her knife was clutched tightly in her hand.
"I just fell down," Cain looked to the ground and spotted the patch of ice that had caused him to trip in the first place. He knelt down next to it. "It's getting colder. In the maze, I mean."
Eve nodded and pulled her poncho tighter around herself. Her legs were open to the elements and they shook like a pair of reeds in the wind.
"You shouldn't be out here," She walked over and picked up the discarded bow. "You were shot yesterday; you lost a lot of blood."
"And you were unconscious yesterday."
"Well I'm awake today."
He smirked and straightened up. Eve tried to hand the bow back to him, but he refused it.
"I can't use that thing to save me life," He explained, turning and leading the way back down the corridor. He patted the heavy bandages still wrapped around his bullet wound. "I feel like I'm going to split in half every time I try."
"Maybe I can give it a shot?" Eve offered, tugging on the string experimentally.
Another smirk flashed across Cain's face. Eve may have currently been the most physically sound of the pair, but she was much smaller than Cain and he seriously doubted that she could use the weapon effectively.
"Sure, why not?" He chose not to voice his opinion for the time being.
They walked in silence for a while, working their way through the cold and dark passageways and meandering back towards their hut. The lack of conversation didn't bother either of them all that much. Cain was used to Eve only speaking when necessary and Eve was delighted to find Cain as a man of few words. It was a companionable silence, although there were certain things that needed to be discussed.
"So, our house," Eve began, catching Cain's eye. "Is it home or just a stop along the way?"
He opened his mouth to respond, but found that he truthfully didn't know the answer.
What are our options? Stay in the hut, grow old and die together? Or head back into the maze and risk our lives there?
Was braving the unknown worth giving up their tiny sanctuary? Cain had no idea. The exit to the catacombs could be around the next corner or hundreds of miles away. It was all too easy to cling to their simple way of life, for however long it would last. The possibility that some other enormous could tear through and kill them both while they slept.
Also the ice.
Cain thought of the small patch that had caused him to slip and miss their next meal. What if their precious little of pool of water, which had saved their lives, froze over with the ever decreasing temperature? Sure they could chip away at the ice and then melt it for water, but what if they couldn't get a fire going? What if they starved or died of dehydration simply because they stayed in one spot for too long? What if they ventured out and were killed instantly?
Eve watched an internal battle wage within Cain as he debated with himself. She bit her lip and waited for him to say something, but as the minutes ticked by, he remained silent. His forehead was drawn together in a tight crease and he appeared deep in thought. She regretted asking her question suddenly. He already had too much on his fractured mind.
She sighed and looked at her feet, remembering his encounter with the woman Sarah. Cain hadn't wanted to talk about it anymore than he already did and Eve didn't blame him. She didn't know if she was capable of killing someone on purpose. However in the heat of the moment, Eve didn't know what she would do.
A vision flashed through her mind. There were long and sharp claws, black, leathery skin, and a vicious howl. Her vision was obscured by smoke and an unimaginable power surged through her body. It wasn't a vision really, but a memory. It was a reminder of what she was, in fact, capable of.
"Hey," She spoke again and drew Cain from his brooding. "Why don't we just stay there until we figure it out, okay?"
Eve was talking about the hut, whilst her mind was elsewhere. She needed to distract herself from her hidden, pungent memories, as she could still feel the muscles rip under her claws and tasted the flesh between her fangs. It sent shivers down her spine, pleasurable shivers.
Cain may have acted like a monster, but I am a monster. Eve thought, feeling fear mingle with the bloodlust.
"Yes, that sounds good to me." Cain nodded, not noticing Eve's sudden discomfort. "Why don't you go back to the hut and I'll check the snares."
"I'll go with you." She blurted. Eve didn't want to be alone at the moment.
They came to a stop at a crossroads. One hallway led back to the hut while another stretched out into the maze. Cain looked down the hallway and towards where he had set up some more snares, resting his hands on his belt.
"I don't know," he glanced at her. "Don't you think you should go rest?"
"I feel fine and did you forget the last time you went out on your own?"
She felt no satisfaction at the moment of discomfort that passed over his face at her words. The murder of Sarah was still a raw nerve with him.
"Fine," Cain growled. "Just… keep up- okay?"
She nodded and followed his lead. The gruesome memories had faded gradually from her mind and she felt her spirits lift slightly.
You don't need to look after me. She stared at the back of his head and his mess of dark hair. If only you knew just how well I can take care of myself.
She wouldn't tell him though, not yet.
They first snare wasn't that far away and when they reached it, Cain's frown deepened. There was no rat trapped beneath the heavy stone, although the trap had been triggered. He crouched and began re-setting the trap, as Eve kept watch. She was just tapping an arrow against her leg, when she saw it. The dog that Cain had tried to shoot earlier had just slinked around a corner and was now sniffing the air about twenty or so yards away.
Her heart leapt into her throat, and she softly nudged Cain with her toe to get his attention. He followed her gaze and froze when he saw the dog. With a nod, he allowed Eve to attempt to use the bow and arrow. She took a step forward and pulled back on the drawstring, resting the feathers of her arrow against her smooth cheek.
Eve exhaled and loosened her grip on the string, firing the arrow towards the dog. The wild animal howled in pain as the sharp tip buried itself in it's flank. The dog scampered away as quickly as possible, disappearing around the corner and trailing a line of blood behind it. Eve and Cain gave chase, abandoning the silly, simple trap for a more substantial source of food.
Eve rounded the corner, drawing another arrow and fitting it into her bow. She planned on firing again at the dog, but it was nowhere in sight. She jogged down the corridor with Cain on her heels, caught up in the rush of the hunt and therefore oblivious to the yawning pit in the middle of the floor.
The ground disappeared beneath her as she fell, only to reappear again all too quickly. She landed on her feet and her ankle twisted painfully, causing her to scream in pain.
"Eve!" Cain slid to a stop at the lip of the pit and looked down at his companion. "Damn, are you alright?"
Tears pricked at her eyes and she slumped against the wall of the pit, clutching at her throbbing ankle.
"Yes." She croaked up at him. "I'm fine, ugh- my ankle."
"Alright, just hang on. I'm going to get you out."
The pit wasn't too deep, maybe about six feet below ground level. The mouth was a perfect circle and the walls were as smooth as glass, although they were made of the same hard stone as the rest of the maze. It didn't look natural, it was too perfect. Cain caught sight of something that Eve had failed to notice with her new injury, there was a pile of eggs lying near the wall not two feet away from her.
He was filled with a sudden anxiety.
The pit is a nest. I need to get Eve out right now!
He shrugged his rucksack from his shoulders and started shifting through their belongings. There had been quite a few supplies at Sarah's camp; among them were the revolver, the supplies for Cain's eye-patch, and currently a most useful length of rope. He quickly tied a loop in one end, before tossing it into the pit and onto Eve's lap.
"Put your good foot in that, and I'll help you climb out."
Eve did as she was told, blinking back tears as she put as little weight as possible on her injured ankle. With her one foot in the rope and her hands on the smooth walls of the pit, she pushed herself upwards as Cain tugged with all of his strength. She managed to get her fingers over the lip of the hole and when Cain grabbed onto her by the forearms, he managed to haul her out.
They both collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavy. Eve's ankle throbbed painfully and Cain's shoulder berated him for putting more pressure on it, but neither of them voiced their discomfort for the time being. For the moment, they just wanted to lie on the floor and rest.
Unfortunately the universe had other plans. Eve forced herself to roll off of Cain and raise her head as a strange noise reached her ears. She screamed again, this time from surprise, as she saw what looked like an enormous bird bearing down on them. Apparently the mother had returned home and was unhappy to find her nest disturbed by the foolish humans.
Cain started at Eve's warning and as he saw the massive bird, he clambered to his feet and drew his revolver quickly. Eve cast about for the bow, only to realize that she had abandoned it in the nest. Her knife was still tucked in her belt though, and she pulled it out. For all the good it would do.
The bird dove at them and Cain squeezed down on the trigger of his gun. A shower of blood exploded from the bird's chest, but the winged best didn't seem to be bothered. It shrugged off the blow and batted Cain away with a sweep of it's large wings, screeching all the while.
Eve slashed with her dagger, but missed and was tossed off balance, stumbling on her twisted ankle. Razor sharp talons dug through her poncho and into her shoulder. All at once, Eve found herself separated from the ground again as she was carried aloft.
"Cain!" She screamed as the bird carried her away.
The man in question was staggering back to his feet, shaking away the stars that danced in front of his eye, due to the bird sweeping him away like a speck of dust. He watched in horror as his companion was taken away from him.
"Eve!" He grabbed the rucksack from the floor and sprinted after her, running flat out down the hall. "Eve!"
"If you ask me, they got what they deserved."
Isaac turned at the random statement. It was Judas who had spoken as he rummaged through a backpack that one of the late marauders had dropped. His broken arm was tucked close to his side like a wing and his mouth was a grim slash.
"I mean, honestly." Judas continued. "It serves them right if they thought they could just jump us like that."
Isaac grunted in response and looked away from his friend to gaze back down the corridor. He was leaning against the doorway and keeping watch over the group. The rifle that had once belonged to the lead marauder was now tucked under his arm, serving as a source of comfort.
The metal bars that had once trapped the group in the room were gone once again and for some reason, Isaac was sure that they wouldn't return. The worm monster that had lived in this dungeon was dead thanks to Maggie and therefore there was no reason for the maze to keep them there. However, in Isaac's opinion, the sooner they got out of there the better. This area just had too many recent, horrible memories.
A shiver crawled across his skin as he remembered the death of those men. He could still hear their screams, along with the clicking of thousands of tiny spider fangs. Isaac couldn't help but wonder if there were other people in the catacombs who had similar dispositions.
What if everyone here is a lunatic?
He didn't want to live in a world where there were only two people that he could trust. Sure Maggie and Judas were good company, but he wanted his world to be bigger than that. He wanted to find civilization, safety, and above all a place to call home. Maybe he'd settle down with Maggie? That wouldn't be so bad.
The woman in question emerged from the dark hallway and frowned when she caught sight of him.
"You don't need to watch over me every second. I can use the restroom on my own, you know?" Maggie huffed and leaned against the doorframe too, opposite Isaac.
"I know. I wasn't peeping," He smiled at her. "Just keeping an eye out."
"Sure." She winked at him, but it was forced. He could tell that she wanted to reassure him that she was alright. However, her thin frame shook with an unexplained chill, her arms were folded over her middle, and her blue eyes were wide and fearful. The encounter with the marauders had shaken her greatly.
Isaac coughed and pretended not to notice as she pulled her coat tighter around herself.
"We should pack up and head out. There's no reason to be around here anymore."
She nodded and patted his arm as she brushed past him and disappeared into the room to join Judas. Isaac sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose in between his thumb and index finger.
I swear: nothing bad is going to happen to you.
It was a bold promise. Isaac hoped more than anything that he could hold himself to it. A silvery glint caught his eye and he craned his neck to see a patch of frost growing on the wall near the ceiling.
"Hmm." He hummed quietly, watching the ice beginning to take hold.
That's possibly a blessing in disguise. We could melt the ice for water if we get desperate enough.
Isaac heard a squeal from inside behind him. He turned and dashed into the chamber, raising the rifle as he went. It was very long and unwieldy, not to mention quite old. The leader of the marauders had used it effectively and although Isaac was glad to now possess weapon, he wasn't yet confident in his abilities. The gun might prove to be more trouble than it's worth.
For the time being though, he rooted it against his shoulder and investigated the outburst. It had been Maggie. She was standing above the marauder's bag and holding something in her hands. A wide grin split her face and what looked like the beginning of tears glistened in the corners of her eyes.
"I can't believe it" She cried for joy. "Pants!"
She stepped into them, not even bothering to remove her grimy sandals first. It was just her luck that they were a good four inches too short. They were made of what looked like canvas, with rough hems and holey knees. She couldn't help but think that the light brown clashed horribly with her dress.
Oh well, beggars can't be choosers after all. She thought.
"Nice high-waters." Judas laughed. He stood up, shouldering their messenger bag. "I think Isaac should get the next piece of clothing we find. He hasn't gotten anything yet."
"If it's another one of those," Isaac jabbed a finger at the Fez perched atop Judas's head. "I'll pass, thank you very much."
Maggie giggled and Judas grumbled something about Isaac being, "just jealous". Although the sick feeling in Isaac's gut following the earlier bloodbath hadn't faded completely, it was lessened somewhat. Talking with his companions had a calming effect on him, more powerful than any dangerous rifle.
They set off soon after that. Isaac carried the gun, Maggie- the marauder's backpack, and Judas- their worn messenger bag. Both Maggie and Judas had equipped themselves with some of the abandoned knives and overall, they were pleased with the new addition to their gear.
Judas wrote in his journal as they walked, documenting their encounter with the other survivors. Meanwhile, Isaac found himself relaying the events of his strange dream to Maggie all of the sudden. He told her about the beautiful fox and how he'd eaten it, leaving out some of the murderous details. When he finished she seemed perplexed by the tale.
"What do you think it means?" She pondered. "Should we not eat foxes?"
"I don't know. There might not even be foxes in the maze." He scratched his chin; there was a good amount of stubble forming across his face. "It felt so real too and then there was that word, Eden."
"Those men seemed to know what that was, or at least they'd heard of it. Maybe Eden is the way out, or someplace safe."
"Maybe."
The lead marauder had wanted information on Eden, information that Isaac had not possessed. It was possible that Eden was a safe haven, since, in the dream the word had come when Isaac was suffering the most.
Maggie's fingers found his and they clung to each other. He watched a tinge of pink creep up into her cheeks and he fought back a chuckle. It was amazing that after all that had happened, the near death experience and the kiss; she could still be embarrassed by the simple display of affection.
"I think…" Isaac leaned close and spoke softly in her ear. "That you are a really good kisser."
"Oh really," She smirked at him. "Do you have anyone to compare me to?"
The honest answer was: no. Isaac didn't remember anything before the catacombs, as she well knew. Still, the banter was fun.
"Nope and that's fine by me."
She pecked him real quick on the cheek, spreading warmth across his face. Judas watched the display and couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his lip. He was happy for his friends, although he couldn't help but wonder how he fit into the grand scheme of things. In a choice between each other or him, the answer was obvious, leaving no doubt in his mind that he would be left for dead if an ultimate situation ever arose.
Judas scratched a note of that in his book, feeling a twinge of guilt at his moment of doubts. Both Isaac and Maggie would stand by him to their last breath, maybe…
There was already too much on his mind to add this onto his ever-growing pile of paranoia. Judas bit his tongue as he wrote, distracting himself from his traitorous thoughts.
He was so engrossed in his journal that he didn't notice that Isaac and Maggie had stopped walking. Judas collided with their backs and raised his head, about to question them. Then he saw what they were staring at.
On the wall, written in a messy red scrawl was one word, accompanied by an arrow.
"Eden." Maggie read.
Isaac glared at the word, taking in every letter and inch of what he hoped was paint, but knew was something else. He remembered his dream, he remembered the marauders. The arrow next to the word pointed down a side corridor, urging them to head down an unfamiliar path, towards unfamiliar lands.
Isaac gripped Maggie's hand a little tighter and nodded at Judas.
"Let's go."
He ran until he could no longer hear her heart-wrenching screams or terror. Her already thin voice faded away, with his name being that last thing he heard from her. He kept running until he could no longer hear the beating of the wind by the giant bird's equally large wings, until there was no sound except for his ragged breaths and his boots against the unforgiving icy, stone floor.
He squinted ahead with his one and only eye, trying to catch a glimpse of her pale skin, the bird's yellow eyes, or her bright, silver knife. There was nothing though, no sign of life in the endless blackness that stretched out ahead of him for all eternity.
He ran until he came to a crossroads. His shirt was soaked with sweat, as was his hair, which clung to his forehead like black vines. His throat was raw from the frozen air and his lungs burned from invisible fire. There were three passageways he could take. None of them looked anymore promising than the others and as he did a quick turn, he found himself completely lost. The walls all looked the same.
He took one step, then another. He stumbled slightly and the revolver slid from his grasp to clatter against the ground. He followed soon after, collapsing onto a knee and then falling over onto his side.
Cain rolled onto his back and took deep, heavy breaths. He was lightheaded and sore, having run for so long and so far that he had trouble feeling anything from the waist down. The heart in his chest beat like a drum, filling his ears with the sound of rushing blood and the pounding of solid beats. It was irregular, as if it was struggling to find rhythm. It sounded like footsteps.
He twisted his neck and what he saw made him want to bark with laughter. However, he didn't have it in him at the moment. It was footsteps alright, but not from a human or any of the like. The wild dog had returned to him, with Eve's arrow still protruding from it's haunch.
The dog limped over to him, still leaving a red line in it's wake. For a second Cain thought that the beast would snuggle up next to him, and then he watched it's lip curl up in a snarl, flashing rows of white fangs. The dog wanted revenge, not a place to rest it's mangy head.
"Serves me right I guess," Cain's voice was hoarse, but he forced the words out anyway. "I couldn't keep her safe. I can't even look after myself."
A single rasping, horrible chuckle actually escaped from his lips then. He had made a joke, unintentionally of course.
Look after myself. He mused, thinking of his one remaining eye.
Cain would have trouble looking after anything for the rest of his life, which wasn't long if the wild dog had it's way with him. The dog lumbered up to his side and opened it's jaws wide, hitting Cain with a wave of foul breath. It would go for the throat first. The dog had never killed a human before, but the knuckle of Cain's Adam's apple looked like a good enough place to strike, bring on quick death.
It all would have ended for Cain right then and there, if it wasn't for a heavy grunt and a swinging arm. The dogs head caved in before his very eye and for a beat, Cain was sure that he was hallucinating. The dead animal leaked blood from it's ruined eyes and ears, crumpling like a paper bag on itself. Standing tall above Cain and his late would-be murder stood a person. Cain asked a question, the only questioned that mattered at the moment.
"Eve?" He croaked.
The person leaned over him and Cain quickly noticed that this man was not his missing companion. He was big, tall and muscular. If there had been a sun in the catacombs, the stranger would have been blocking it out completely. The sleeves of his shirt where ripped off, showcasing large biceps. He was apparently immune to the cold. In his hand there was a large carpenter hammer, dripping with the blood of the dog and others unlucky to find themselves beneath it before. Sheets of brown hair were pulled back from his face with a red scarf. The man cocked his head as he looked down at Cain.
"Nope, there's no Eve here." The man spoke with a deep voice. "Are you alright? What happened to your eye?"
Cain opened his mouth to speak, but exhaustion overtook him and he passed out.
End of Part One
Well this is the end of the beginning for "The Last Will". Next time, there is the road to Eden, a meeting of the minds, and a test of strength.
This story is just starting, so stick around if you are interested. This is a pretty small fandom, but I love writing for it nonetheless. As of right now, this is the longest story in The Binding of Isaac fandom, which is cool I guess.
Thanks so much for reading. I'll see you soon.
- Mike
